DATELINE
Born Small
Josh Mc
VISION |
AUDIO |
INTRO |
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OFF BLACK. |
CHANDLER [THOUGHT TRACK] I was in dance all of my life. It
was the thing I did. |
VHS HOME VIDEO (CONT’D) This is CHANDLER – she has achondroplasia, the most common form of
DWARFISM. |
CHANDLER [THOUGHT TRACK] But,
you know, I still obviously knew I was
shorter and that I had dwarfism and everything, but for some reason in my
mind, and in my head, I looked as uniformed as all of the other girls. CHANDLER [THOUGHT TRACK] And after
I saw that video, I realized I was not going to be like everybody else. I was going to look
like that for
the rest of my life. |
VARIOUS ANGLES: Lifestyle shots of some of the SHORT STATURED characters we’ll meet in
the film. FLASH CUT TO: |
VO: Around the world, one in twenty-five
thousand children are born with achondroplasia, a type of dwarfism which
stunts growth and can lead to dangerous health problems. VO: But now, scientists have developed a drug, which they believe can treat the condition allowing patients to grow to average height. VO: It’s being hailed as a miracle… but do those who
are born small want to grow tall? |
TITLES:
DATELINE |
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CASPER
& DR RAVI – ALTERNATE START |
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ALTERNATE START: |
VO: 14-month-old Casper has achondroplasia,
the most common form of dwarfism. VO: But thanks to a scientific
break-through, Casper may outgrow his condition. |
ALTERNATE START: INT. CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL – DAY Marc waves at Casper who waves back. |
MARC - UPSOT [OFFSCREEN] Hello. How are you? DAISY – UPSOT: Good Thank
you. How are you? MARC: I'm good. Who's this? DAISY: This is Casper. MARC: Hello Casper. How are you? Woo! I gotta wave! VO: Since he was five months old, Casper has been
part of a global trial for a drug called Vosoritide. |
INT. TREATMENT CENTRE – MOMENTS LATER.
MARC follows DAISY & CASPER into a children’s ward. There are as
many toys as medical instruments. The group makes a fuss over Casper who laughs and gurgles. |
RAVI - UPSOT: And how are the injections going? DAISY: The injections are going well. RAVI: And who’s doing them, mainly? DAISY: Myself and Justin and my mum… sometimes. RAVI: It’s good to have mum trained because then you
can have a day off. DAISY: Yeah exactly. Rest for
mum. RAVI: IV: When I
first met Daisy, she had all of those emotions.
Which you can imagine. She was delighted to be a mum. But she was terrified
that her child had achondroplasia. |
INT. INT. TREATMENT CENTRE – MOMENTS LATER. DR RAVI begins his check-up of CASPER. DAISY and MARC watch on. CASPER wiggles around. RAVI and DAISY laugh and try to pin him down. |
RAVI: UPSOT: Who’s this? Who’s this? RAVI: IV: My job
was to try and give her accurate up to date, information. So
then she could get some control back over what was a very disempowering
situation. RAVI – UPSOT: I can tell he’s progressed because he’s
getting much harder to examine than he was when he was a baby. He’s become a
moving target! VO: Achondroplasia affects bone
growth. In adulthood, patients typically develop large heads, regular sized
torsos and very short arms and legs, which limits their height. RAVI – UPSOT: Does he stand at all unsupported? DAISY:
No not yet. VO: Ravi believes that starting a few months after
birth, a daily injection of Vosoritide, will help a child’s bones grow at an
average rate. |
INT. DR RAVI INTERVIEW – DAY MARC chats with the good DOCTOR. FLASH CUT TO: |
MARC – IV (06:41) With Vosoritide, what does it actually do? RAVI
– IV (06:43): So basically,
achondroplasia is like trying to drive your car with the handbrake on. It
won't go as fast. And that's my analogy for the bone growth. This medication
basically comes in and takes off that handbrake so that bone growth can
resume as it would have otherwise. |
GFX: VOSORITIDE EXPLAINER – PT 1 |
VO:
FGFR3 regulates bone development, but a rare mutation in the gene causes
bones to grow slower than normal. VO: An average 2-year-old grows six centimeters a year… while a child
with achondroplasia grows about four centimeters a year. VO: When bone growth stops in
early adulthood, the result is dramatic reduction in height and
proportions. |
GFX: VOSORITIDE EXPLAINER – PT 2 Graphics visualise MARC’S VO explanation of how Vosoritide corrects
the genetic mutation. |
VO: The drug assists the faulty
gene, minimizing the effects of achondroplasia… At least, that’s the theory. |
MARC and DR RAVI hover around a computer screen. Ravi talks through
results on a growth chart. |
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INT. TREATMENT ROOM & DR RAVI IV: A research assistant, TESS, performs further measurements on CASPER as
MARC and RAVI continue their IV. |
TESS – UPSOT: Alright Mr, let's
see if we can hook these up. RAVI – IV: For
instance, there's an increased
risk of sleep disordered breathing, having to have an operation on your
spine. In the first five years, the incidence of sudden infant death
syndrome is 50 times that of a child without achondroplasia. RAVI - IV: So Casper is a really healthy child right now with a potential whole
list of problems. And I hope this medication will mean that none of those
problems will ever come to fruition. |
INT. TREATMENT ROOM TESS continues measuring CASPER while MARC and DAISY watch. Marc speaks with Daisy as Casper wiggles in her arms. |
TESS – UPSOT: Good job! That’s that one done! VO: The study
is ongoing, with 121 kids enrolled in 7 countries around the world. VO: For these
kids, the cost of growing up is a daily injection at home, followed by
frequent hospital visits for intensive testing and study. VO: And there’s an even tougher
pill to swallow. MARC – UPSOT: So there’s a
50 50 chance that he’s on inactive dose. How do you feel about that? But with time, Casper’s getting used to it, I’m
getting used to it…
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CROSS CUT: INT. TREATMENT ROOM & DR RAVI IV: As CASPER and DAISY leave, RAVI concludes with an IV |
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DAISY’S
CHOICE |
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HARD CUT TO: |
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INT. DAISY’S HOUSE – DAY DAISY and CASPER play on the floor. Casper’s dad JUSTIN enters and
joins in. |
DAISY [THOUGHT TRACK] (01:22:11):
There's a lot of work that goes into it. It's tough at times. But he's the
love of my life and I just want to do as much as, as possible. to give him
the best possible start to life that I can. |
EXT/INT. DAISY’S HOUSE – LATER MARC walks to the front door. Knocks. DAISY holding CASPER and JUSTIN answer the door. |
UPSOT: MARC: Thank you! |
INT. DAISY’S HOUSE – KITCHEN – CONTINOUS. DAISY, JUSTIN, and CASPER lead MARC into their kitchen where a INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCE COOLER
BAG and a series of SYRINGES and VIALS are laid on the counter. |
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INT. DAISY’S HOUSE – KITCHEN – MOMENTS LATER. DAISY takes the syringe over to JUSTIN who’s holding CASPER – she
cleans Casper’s thigh with a STERILE WIPE… …then injects the VOSORITIDE. |
DAISY: UPSOT: It’s alright darling it will only take a second. *She injects him. Casper waits a beat then cries* DAISY: UPSOT: There you go good little boy all done |
INT. DAISY’S HOUSE – KITCHEN – MOMENTS LATER. DAISY fills out CASPER’S log book, then chats
with MARC. |
MARC: So you do this every day, every
day. DAISY: Everyday. |
INT. DAISY’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – LATER DAISY, JUSTIN and MARC play with CASPER on the living room floor.
Casper gurgles, and grabs for toys. His smile lights the room with ridiculous
cuteness. |
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MONTAGE - STILLS: (a)
DAISY holding
little CASPER moments after he’s born. (b)
DAISY, CASPER and
JUSTIN during their first week at home. |
DAISY [THOUGHT TRACK] And then we brought him home //
And when he was 10 days old, they gave us a call and said, yeah, it is what
we suspect. |
Play time continues. |
DAISY [THOUGHT TRACK] I felt pretty ill-equipped at the time, but our hospital referred
us to dr Ravi. And he sort
of just said, “it’s going to be okay.” And we were told about the trial |
INT. DAISY’S HOUSE – LOUNGE – LATER MARC does a SITDOWN IV with DAISY and JUSTIN. |
MARC: Have
either of you, before the birth of Casper, ever had any dealing with a short
stature people. Little people. Achondroplasia at all? JUSTIN: There
are days where, where, you know, you still doubt yourself and go like, am I
doing the right thing? Am I doing everything that I could, um. DAISY – IV:
As his parents at
the moment, you know, we have a duty of care as it were. We want to
give him the best start. So we are two average
height parents, but two average height parents doing the best we can. |
DAISY and JUSTIN playin with CASPER & MARC interviewing them. |
VO: This disconnect has led many to
question the ethics of the Vosoritide trial… Some in the short-statured
community going so far as accusing scientists of trying to eradicate little
people. DAISY (00:53:08):
No at the beginning. Um, but you know, we've been a part of it for a while
now and I'm aware of the controversy surrounding it. MARC (00:53:22):
Can you, do you understand why there is controversy around it, in that
community? |
BECKY & DWARF
PRIDE |
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DRONE – SNOW COVERED NEIGHBOURHOOD – DAY. TEXT ON SCREEN: PLYMOUTH,
MASSACHUSETTES, USA. |
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Talking to us, is a 30-something little person… BECKY. |
BECKY – IV: I'm fearful of the drug vosoritide. I think it could lead
to a lot more bad than good. |
Little people BECKY and RYAN potter around the house – preparing to go
into the cold. |
VO: Becky
a motivational speaker, and her husband Ryan belong to Little People of
America, a support organisation for short statured
people. RYAN –
UPSOT: Should I wear my Packers or my Patriots hat? BECKY – UPSOT: Oh man... I think the Packers may
match the green. |
EXT. BECKY’S HOUSE – CONT’D BECKY and RYAN walk down some regular size STAIRS. |
VO: The organisation does not endorse the use
of Vosoritide. IV: BECKY: [THOUGHT
TRACK] As a little person I'm super passionate
about this space because I just don't think it matters what your height is. We
just want a chance to participate in a meaningful way in society. |
INT. CAR – DAY |
RYAN – UPSOT: We got good weather today Becky. VO: Just
like Casper back in Melbourne...Becky and Ryan were born to average height
parents and into average height families. VO: Both attended regular high school, graduated college and
until recently, Becky worked as casting agent in Hollywood. |
EXT. HOMEWARE’S SUPER STORE – DAY. RYAN parks the SUV into HANDICAP SPACE. The pair jumps out of the car
– it’s a long way to the ground for them. |
RYAN –
UPSOT: You look. Like a Christmas Tree. VO: Apart from their height, there’s nothing much that
distinguishes them from your average American. |
INT. SUPERMARKET – DAY.
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BECKY [THOUGHT
TRACK] There is kind of a stigma. That we can't do this. We can't do that. But
I think there's just, we just find ways to figure it out
STRANGER: Okay. BECKY – UPSOT: Thanks very much |
INT. CAR – DAY |
VO: Making simple modifications… |
INT. HOMEWARE’S STORE (CONT’D) BECKY & RYAN arrive at a CHILDREN’S RECLINING CHAIR section. They
inspect the puffy, leather chairs – could be for them. |
VO: Or occasionally shopping in the children’s section… RYAN – UPSOT: Actually it is kind of nice. BECKY: Yeah! RYAN: I think I do want it! VO: The way Becky sees it, there just aren’t enough situations
that require little people to change physically, a fact that empowers their
community. BECKY – IV: I don't think me being a foot taller would
add any additional value to my life. I'm who I am because of the way I was
made. BECKY – IV: And yes, there are so many challenges that
I've had to face to get to where I am today, but I think it just makes us
stronger and it adds more to our characters. |
INT. BECKY’S HOUSE – KITCHEN – LATER BECKY and RYAN navigate a regular sized kitchen. Becky climbs a STEP LADDER to fetch some cooking spray then stands on
a BOX to wash some CUTTLERY in the sink. |
BECKY – IV: People often ask
me, if I could wave a magic wand would I choose to be a little person in my
next life. And I always respond by saying yes. But I would change the way the
outside world reacts to me being a little person. |
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UPSOT: [ONSCREEN] DICAPRIO: The next cocksucker
to get a bullseye wins 20 grand! VO: According to Becky, the biggest challenge facing
little people is the prejudice of the average height world. UPSOT: [ONSCREEN]: Crowd Cheers! IV: BECKY: (27:05):
// That did happen to me when I
was living in Los Angeles, where someone tried to pick me up and I ended up
hitting my head on the cement… VO: Becky and many others feel there’s a simple
explanation for these attitudes. |
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BECKY – IV: Historically
people with dwarfism have been portrayed negatively in the media as elves and
leprechauns… And it just affects how each of us is treated in everyday life. VO: Films like The Wizard of Oz, Willy Wonka,
The Wolf of Wall Street, AND Austin Powers are often criticized
for their harmful depictions of dwarfism. VO: Many also argue
that these negative portrayals lead parents to enroll children in trials for drugs
like Vosoritide. VO: Becky, fears
the consequences for her people. |
INT. BECKY’S HOUSE – LOUNGE - LATER BECKY speaks to MARC over ZOOM – it’s now a formal
interview.
|
MARC- IV: If this drug Vosoritide is approved and
does become popular, what do you think will happen to that community? BECKY- IV: I hate
to say this, but I'm almost
glad that I may not be alive during that time, because there may be no
community if it becomes so popular. And that's scary.
MARC –
IV: Becky Vosoritide is being given to babies who really have no agency in this
process at all. What do you think of that? BECKY: IV: If it was my baby, I
wouldn't do it. Parents are fearful because they don’t have enough evidence
of what the future can be like for their child. This is who we are and we can be fully capable and independent just as
who we are. And yes there may be some medical
procedures that come up along the way but it would just be so nice if people
didn’t just think that we needed to be fixed and embraced who we were. |
CROSS CUT: INT. BECKY’S HOUSE & INT. DR RAVI’S
OFFICE BECKY & RYAN finish making lunch and
bring it the dining room as MARC poses some tough questions to RAVI.
Becky and Ryan climb up the dining chairs
and prepare to eat at a regular sized table. |
MARC –
IV: In the US this trial has faced pretty significant
opposition from certain quarters. Why do you think that is? RAVI – IV: There’s
a big belief. That this medication will inherently take
away the identity of those people being treated. It's no more changing their
identity in that if they have pneumonia and I treat them with penicillin. MARC – IV: If you've got a community and their bonds are built on
height, if we are talking about changing that over time some of that fear
must be well-founded though? RAVI: (16:56): The other thing is that these treatments
are not compulsory. What they are, is an option for families. And when
families hear about this option, almost always, they want an option that
might improve the health of their child. But in the end, we’re not trying to
change anyones identity we’re trying to keep
children health. |
INT. BECKY’S HOUSE – DINING ROOM (CONT’D). BECKY & RYAN look at their meals then
bow their heads. |
MARC –
IV (36:06): What would you like those parents to now be thinking about as
they make those choices? BECKY: IV: What is it that you’re
trying to run away from or hid from. And what do you think this can fix? BECKY - IV (40:03):
Your child can be anything, give them the chance to
spread their wings and be the best versions of themselves. And don't let your
doubts or limitations get in their way. |
CHANDLER WANTS TO BE TALL |
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TEXT ON SCREEN: LITTLE ROCK,
ARKANSAS |
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VO: Although Vosoritide is on the cutting edge… it’s not the
only time science has tried to help people overcome the physical limitations
of dwarfism. |
This is CHANDLER. Chandler sees a nice pair of pants
RACK FOCUS CUT TO: |
CHANDLER – UPSOT:
It’s just the little things in life like being able to just go into the store, buy a pair of
pants off the rack, put them on and they just fit // |
MONTAGE: CHANDLER X-RAYS We see CHANDLER’S before and after X-Rays – the bone breaks, and the
pins that are put in. |
CHANDLER [THOUGHT
TRACK] (00:54:01) Limb lengthening involves the cutting of the bone They go in and they put screws or rods in
your legs or arms (01:33:29): and pull the bone apart a millimetre a day to
let new bone form, and by doing that, that makes your bones grow longer,
which makes you achieve more height and length in your arms. |
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CHANDLER talks to CAMERA as pushes a regular sized, TROLLEY through
the aisles. She passes SHOPPERS who pay her no notice – a different
experience to Becky and Ryan. Chandler stops talking to camera - continues shopping. CUT TO: |
CHANDLER – UPSOT
(01:49:01) // Being able to go
to a store and I can before only really I would say
this was the highest shelf I could reach before any of my lengthening’s. But
you know, now I can just, grab a jar of sauce off of
a shelf like that. you don't want to always ask for people to reach something
for you. You just want to be able to just reach up and just drop a box of
pasta, go about your day. |
INT. CHANDLER’S CAR – DAY |
CHANDLER – UPSOT: But now, I mean I'm able to just get in a car drive and
not have to worry about pedal or hand adaptations and it just gives me
another sense of independence that I can have. |
MONTAGE: Pictures and video of Chandler’s THREE limb lengthening
procedures. |
VO: Chandler had her first lengthening at 16,
a few years after seeing this home video... VO: To
gain her extra height she had 3 procedures each taking between six and eight
months to complete. |
INT. CHANDLER’S HOUSE – DAY CHANDLER sits with her Mum, CATHE they flip through old PHOTO ALBUMS,
stopping at pictures of little Chandler growing up. |
CHANDLER:
- UPSOT: This was like my I'm going to wear eyeliner phase.
VO: But the reaction from
the short statured community hasn’t always been good |
INT. CHANDLER’S HOUSE – LOUNGE CHANDLER talks to MARC over ZOOM |
MARC – IV:
Chandler, when you decided to get limb lengthening, what did you hope it
would achieve?
MARC – IV: You’ve been pretty
upfront talking about this experience. Have you had any pushback from
the rest of the community? CHANDLER – IV: I've experienced and
still today experience a lot of pushback from the Dwarfism community who
would private message me and tell me that my family never loved me. They
never accepted me…
MARC – IV: If a drug like vosoritide
was the choice when you were younger, do you think it's something you would
have taken up?
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AD BREAK |
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A VOSORITIDE FUTURE |
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INT/EXT. DAISY’S HOUSE – DAY After an establisher,
we find DAISY sitting on the couch with CASPER, reading a PICTURE BOOK to
him. In the kitchen, Justin fills a SYRINGE with
VOSORITIDE and walks to Mum and Bub. |
DAISY: UPSOT:
We’ll gather supplies and make them our own and prepare to take flight
into the great unknown.
DAISY – UPSOT: (00:43:55) Just sit still and we can get
you back to your toys. VO: I
first met the family 3 months ago. Since then, parents Daisy and Justin have
given their son around 84 shots DAISY - UPSOT (00:44:27) Shoosh it's alright
darling. |
EXT. PARK – DAY … Casper stands up. He smiles, a BEAMING, PROUD smile. |
SOT: The *woosh* DAISY unrolling a picnic rug. VO: And while they
don’t know if Casper has already been receiving the active drug, there have been some big changes for
this little man. DAISY –
UPSOT: Hey darling. Look at you! Hey there! Hey there. DAISY
[THOUGHT TRACK] (02:16:17) We’re very excited ‘cause Casper’s managed to pull himself up on and stand
// He can bare his body weight on his legs. Even if we’re holding him he likes to stand up and he pulls himself up into that
position. |
INT. CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL – DAY. |
RAVI –
UPSOT (02:33:34) Oh my goodness who is this big guy. DAISY:
It's Casper! RAVI:
Wow, he's grown heaps. VO: It’s been a year since Casper joined the trial, and after a
series of tests Dr Ravi has some news. DAISY:
No problems. Thank you! |
INT. CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL – MOMENTS LATER.
Daisy fills out the form and SIGNS. Ravi checks over it. Then SIGNS. |
RAVI -
UPSOT (02:18:53) So you understand that the next part of the study is until
he finishes growing, but at any point if it’s not suitable for you or for him
you can pull out. DAISY:
Okay.
DAISY:
It’s very exciting thank you. |
DAISY brings CASPER over to a corner of the room, and places him,
STANDING UP for RAVI to examine. |
RAVI – [THOUGHT
TRACK] (02:28:38) What Daisy and I spoke about when we first met, is that the
condition that Casper has means that he has a much higher risk of medical
complications, functional limitations and other issues. And I just want to
remove all of those so that he can live a life without any of the
consequences of his medical condition. // We feel very privileged that we can
offer this to families and that families are brave enough to take it up.
DAISY [THOUGHT TRACK] (02:25:57) It’s sort of surreal
to be honest but it’s a very great privilege. I had difficult experience but
something really positive has come out of it. And if
that can help influence and shape the lives of other families down the road
then I’m thrilled with that. |
EXT. PARK – PICNIC – DAY
|
VO: But behind all the excitement is the reality
that Casper is a boy growing up between two worlds. DAISY – UPSOT: He has four words and I’m
quite dissapointed that not one of them is “Mum.” GROUP: Laughs. VO: For Casper, the question right now, is
whether he’ll be accepted here, if he outgrows the group. ALT: SAM – IV: the drug trial has kind
of been a journey I suppose, for the organization. But we want people to
know that whether they want to be part of it or don't want to be part of it,
they're welcome in our organization. And... Being part of the community has
nothing to do with height. It has to do with, um, the condition and has to do
with identifying with, uh, your peers. |
EXT. PARK – DAY – LATER |
VO: Vosoritide is expected be approved in Australia as
early as 2022. VO: And the question of whether kids like Casper should
grow tall will face families for years to come. CHANDLER [THOUGHT TRACK] I always say kust
let everyone make they’re own decision and it’s
always best to be educated and know what’s out there. BECKY [THOUGHT TRACK] I wouldn’t do it. But at the end of the day
they’re a human being who wants to be loved and respected. I would welcome
them with open arms. DAISY [THOUGHT TRACK] I would hope that people respect that our
intentions were pure and we did what we thought was
right, for the right reasons. |
INT. DAISY’S HOUSE – DAY DAISY and JUSTIN CHAT TO MARC |
|
RESUME: EXT -
PARK – DAY. |
DAISY [THOUGHT TRACK] For us,
Casper is just like a normal child. He really is just like any other child
really. |
NEXT WEEK |
|
OVER CREDITS |
VO: Next week... Dateline meets Japan's
junior pop idols and the middle-aged men who are their biggest fans. Is this
a quirky sub-culture or something more sinister?
**** |